Window-cleaner



No. 624,843. Patented Ma 9 I89 0. a. MITCHELL. y wmnnw CLEANER.

\ (Application filed June 17, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNiTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. MITCHELL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA..

WINDOW-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,843, dated May 9, 1899.

Application filed J'une 1'7, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residingat Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVindow- Cleaning Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to apparatus forcleaning windows and analogous operations. Its object is to lessen the labor required, to save time, and to obtain an improved result; and it. consistsin the novel arrangement and combination of the various features and in the construction of certain of the parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in front view a window-cleaning device embracing my invention. in position for operation. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the construction of the rubbing-plate. Fig. 4c exhibits a modified construction of the handpiece. Fig. 5 is a detail of the drivingpulley, and Fig. 6 is a detail of the top of the standard and its adjustable pulley.

A represents the base or feet of the apparatus, preferably provided with cushions a, of rubber or like material, to prevent the sliding about of the base while in use and to prevent marring any surface on which. the instrument is placed.

B represents a standard composed of rod or tube and carrying a rubbing-plate or frame 0,

which slides upon the standard B and is adapted to receive and hold a cloth or other suitable material 0, which serves to efiect the washing or cleaning of the window-glass or other surface to which it is applied.

The standard B is joined to a cylindrical piece D, which slides easily but snugly in bearings a on the base A, anda handpiece E, joined to the other end of the sliding piece D, is provided with a handle 0 for manipulating the device, and also carries a driving-pulley F, actuated by a crank f or other suitable means. A driving-belt g passes around the pulley F, and thence over pulleys h ij, the ends of the belt being secured to the upper and lower sides, respectively, of the sliding part 0 which guides on or in the standard B.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same Serial No. 683,749. (No model.)

With this construction it is apparent that when the pulley F'is rotated the belt Q will causethe plate 0 to slide briskly along the standard B, while the standard may at the same time by means of handle e be swung from side to side, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Also by sliding the piece D in its bearings a the standard B can be traversed so as to obtain a suitable pressure of the cloth or other covering of the plateC uponthe surface to be washed, wiped, polished, scoured, or otherwise treated.

In practice thedevice when used for clean= ing windows is preferably seated upon the sill, outside the window, the standard B being passed out through the partially-opened window. Thesash is drawn-down between the parts B and E, as shown in Fig. 2, the plate 0, with its covering of cloth, felt,- or other material, is drawn into contact with the glass is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and by turning the crank f backward and forward and swinging the standard B from sideto side all parts of the pane are speedily cleaned, the motion of the rubbing-plate C being exactly that of the human hand in similar rubbing operations. Preferably the rubbing-plate C is made rectangular, as shown, so as to more perfectly clean the corners of the pane; but other shapes can be used. The plate 0 is supported on one or more studs Z, which project from the guide-piece 0 which slides in or. on the standard, and projects on all sides beyond its supporting-stud, so as to be free to reach to the extreme edge of the pane.

I prefer to construct the parts B, D, and E of tubing, the belt 9 being carried inside said parts, as shown; but it is obvious that the parts B, D, and E could be made of rods and the belt carried on the outside thereof; but by keeping the belt inolosed it is protected from wet and dirt, its life prolonged, and the working of the device made much easier. The

pulley F might be pivoted to the side of the handpiece E, as shown in Fig. 4, instead of being seated in a slot in the piece E; but I re gard the latter construction as preferable for the reasons above given.

The pulleyj is carried by a cap m, which closes the top of the tube B, and may, if pre 1 ferred, be made adjustable, as by meansof a screw m3, passed through the cap m and to secure by Letters Patent, is

threaded into the housingj of the pulley j, or the belt g may be so attached to the guidepiece 0 as to afford ready adjustment for taking up any slack in the belt caused by wear or stretching. To do this, the belt is passed through an eye 11 on the guide-piece c and threaded through holes in the stud Z, as seen in Fig. 3, by which means it is rendered accessible on the outside of the tube E.

All parts of the apparatus are made light but strong, and the whole is easily carried and handled by one hand. The rubbing-plate O is preferably provided with points 0 by means of which the cloth or other covering of plate 0 may be quickly secured to-it by being simply folded over the edges of the plate and pressed upon the points, this affordinga sufficiently secure fastening and permitting a quick change of covering when desired-as, for instance, to substitute a dry cloth for a wet one; but any preferred means of fastening the cloth to the rubbing-plate may be used.

To prevent any slipping of the belt on the pulley F, the latter is provided with ridgesf as shown in Fig. 5, either angular or rounded, and which slightly pinch the belt and prevent its slipping. Any desired degree of tension on the belt is secured by the screw m after all slack has been taken up, by the fastening of the belt on the-stud Z.

What I claim as my invention, and desire 1. In a window-cleaning device the combination of a base, a standard mounted thereon and having both an oscillating and a sliding movement, and a rubbing-plate carried by said standard and capable of a reciprocatory movement thereon, substantially as described.

2. In awindow-cleaning device the combination of a base, a standard mounted thereon and having both an oscillating and a sliding movement, a handle rigidly connected to the standard for moving the same, and a rubbingplate carried by said standard and capable of a reciprocatory movement thereon, substantially as described. I

3. In a window-cleaning device the combination of a base, a standard mounted thereon and having both an oscillatory and a sliding movement, a rubbing-plate reciprocably supported on said'standard, and a pulley and belt 'for imparting reciprocating motion to said rubbing-plate, substantially as described.

4. In a window-cleaning device the combination of a base, a standard mounted thereon and having both an oscillatory and a sliding movement, a handpiece rigidly connected to the standard, a rubbing-plate supported on said standard and having a guide fitting the same, a pulley supported on said handpiece, and a belt passing over said pulley and over guide-pulleys on the standard and having its ends attached to opposite ends of the rubbingplate guide, substantially as described.

5. In a window-cleaning device the combination of a base, a hollow standard mounted thereon and having both an oscillatory and a sliding movement, a handpiece rigidly connected to the standard, a rubbing-plate supported on said standard and having a guide fitting the same, a pulley supported on said handpiece, and a belt passing over said pulley and over guide-pulleys in the standard and having its ends attached to opposite ends of the rubbing-plate guide, said belt traveling in the'hollow standard, substantially as described.

6. In a window-cleaning device the combination of a base having bearings thereon, a horizontally-sliding tube seated in said bearings, a tubular-standard secured to one end and a tubular handpiece secured to the other end of said sliding tube at right angles thereto, a rubbing-plate having sliding engagement with said standard, a driving-pulley journaled on said handpiece, guide-pulleys seated within said tubular structure at the angles thereof, a pulley supported in said stand ard at the top thereof, a belt passing over said pulleys and having its ends secured to opposite ends of the rubbing-plate guide, and means for vertically adjusting the pulley at the top of the standard for regulating the tension on the belt, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES G. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

-R. W. HEZLEP,

WV. A. MINTEER. 

